The Millenium Earl
by Izyume
Summary: I wrote this after reading book 8 of the Manga.. so I know that Much of this story is off to the Real thing.. but this is a story that starts the whole thing... the Story of the Earl himself and how he came to be...


the millenium earl

"Fish Fish!"Stahn yelled. It was the beginning of summer and the men were all hard at work, but for these two men their work was easy. As fishermen, days on the sea were what every man hoped for in a job. "Whoa. Look at the size of this fish!"Stahn said as he reeled in the fish on the end of his rod."Lero Lero! We got fish!" A man about the age of 21 turned away from his own rod to look at Stahn. he let out a small sigh and said.  
"Good for you Stahn I knew my little brother was good at something. "He took a small breath of fresh air scratched his chin and continued. "Now all you got to do is catch 13 more fish and you will be up to my count. "They both stopped and looked into each others eyes with a angry glare...Then both just burst out in laughter.

"Well I'm not as good as you are, I know that. You're about 21 now so you've had 3 years more experience then I have." Stahn said. "But just you wait I'll find something I'm better then you are yet!" They both let out a small chuckle then turned back to their fishing. After a few moments of silence midday came and left like the blink of an eye.  
Lero(Stahns older brother.) let out another small sigh and began to say..."You know we've been out here for some time now. Lets row back to the dock." The two brothers nodded to each other, and began to row back to the dock. After a few rows they hit dock, tied up thier boat, bagged thier fish, and headed home.

Just then a beautiful young woman, about the age of 18 appeared before the brothers. Her hair was a beautiful blonde color like the first glimpse of the sun, it all came down in wave like the ocean beating against the rocks, and her figure and stance showed someone of high class. Truly a woman of grace and elegance. She walked up to the two brothers and gently gave Stahn a kiss on the cheek.  
"Figures." she said. "I lose you for a day and I find you fishing." Then she turned to Lero and said. "I hope he caught more fish then you did Lero." The three of them all chuckled amongst themselves. After a bit Stahn broke the laughter. "Elaina I missed you but I had to help my brother pay rent. Dont worry I was ok out at sea and I caught one fish!" With a gleaming smile Stahn held up his fish, as light beams came off every end of the fish.

Just then a small old man came stood in front of the brothers and grabbed Elaina's hand.  
"BACK OFF" He yelled "Haven't you done enough damage here Stahn!?"

"But i never did any..."Stahn said

"Elaina lets go home. You don't have time to spend with slackers like him." The old man then turned to Lero and said with a smile."Lero my boy, you've grown into a fine man! So when are you gonna ask my grand daughter for her hand in marriage?"

"Huh? Where did that come from?" Lero replied. " , I am flattered about your offer, but I can't break up a happy couple." Lero elbowed his brother as Stahn and Elaina looked at the floor with a blush.

"WHAT!." yelled. "Heavens no. Not the slacker! Glory me I don't know where you get your ideas Lero, but you're brother is ...How can I put this, but bluntly... well you're brother is an idiot. He never does anything right. Besides, you are much more superior then he is. It's hard to tell you to are brothers."

Before Lero could get a word in the old man dragged Elaina away. Elaina waved goodbye to them both and blew a kiss to Stahn.  
"Damn that guy gets on my nerves." Lero said and he clenched his fist. "If only he stayed a little longer, I would of given him a piece of my mind!"

"It's fine Lero." Stahn said. "I'm used to it. Everyone knows your better then me at everything... come on lets go home."  
Stahn let out a small sigh and sadly started to walk back held his hand out to say something to his brother but nothing came to mind . so they both just continued down the road to home. the walk was silent neither of the brothers had really anything to say to each other. the brothers walked up a hill to see their house in the distance, and to the left was this really tall cliff with a broken down black tower on the top. they both stood their for a while looking at the tower, then Lero turned to Stahn and said."Hey remember when we were kids, how we were told that a demon lived inside that tower."  
"yeah!"Stahn replied."I remember on Halloween how mother made us those cool black costume's so we could fight the demon!...but when we got to the tower and went inside..."  
"Nooooo demon"Lero said as he finished Stahns sentence."but hey it was fun i still have our old costumes."Lero turned to the sky to see the sun going down and the sky getting darker. he then turned to Stahn and gave him a few motions to get going its nodded turned to the tower then said to Lero." you know I never properly thanked you for introducing me to Elaina. she is the best thing that ever happened to me... besides having you for a brother that is"  
They both chuckled at his lame joke then Stahn continued to say..."I knew tho that you liked her as well. but you gave her up for me brother. and I've decided tomorrow I'm gonna ask her to marry me!"  
Lero said nothing as he just stared at his brother as if he went insane. let out a smile as if to say good luck. then continued down the road to home. as they walked Lero jumped up and yelled.."Hooray for my hopeless brother!"  
then they got inside their house. it was a dump the walls were rotting as if they were a hundred years old and the smell was awful... but this was home to them and they loved it like anybody does their house.  
Stahn hung up his and his brothers fish then turned to Lero and said.."brother how is your scar? still burning?"  
Lero took off his shirt to show a scar the size of his entire back in the shape of a cross.  
"It still burns" Lero said."But not as bad as yesterday. its late so lets go to bed, tomorrow is your big day ... and don't worry i'll take care of the old man to give you two some privacy." they both chuckle then fell swiftly to sleep.  
tomorrow came and the brothers walked out of their house and to the town. the walk to the town wasn't as bad as yesterday , the brothers were talking and laughing happily as if nothing was wrong. just then Stahn noticed a poster and held it right in front of Lero's face.  
"LOOK!" Stahn looked at the poster and read what it said.  
"today we welcome the long awaited guests the masters of time and space. the ever knowing magicians of Edo"Lero said as he read the poster. they both looked at each other for awhile Stahn had a excited expression as Lero had a dumbfounded expression.  
"Soooo whats your point?"Lero said as Stahn fell on the floor  
"what do you mean these are the ever knowing magicians!"Stahn said. " that means they might know something about your scar"  
"but what about Elaina?"  
"im sorry to say but she can wait this is a once in a life time opportunity lets go!"Stahn grabbed his brother and ran off while Lero hung in the air behind his brother he said to himself "I cant believe your 20..."  
the brothers got to the carriage as they notice they were the only ones there. they looked around to see only the magicians and no townsfolk . there were three magicians in total one was a wise looking old man, the other was a taller man who looks like he works out , and the finally one a a thin med-height man who wore a beret. the old man noticed the two standing there and motioned them to come in. the brothers walked towards the old man and sat down in front of him.  
"What seams to be the trouble ?" the old man asked.  
"Well you see my brother has this weird scar. ever since he was born this scar has been with him and well through his life its granted him weird things."Stahn said.  
"Such as?" the old man asked.  
"Such as super strength sometimes, extreme speed sometimes and. many other things."  
"Sometimes?" the old man asked  
" Yes sometimes but lately its been burning really bad sometimes that he cant sleep"  
"Well let me see this scar" the old man said.  
Lero took off his shirt to reveal the cross shaped scar on his back. the look on the old mans face turned to shock as his face turned white. and the only word the brothers heard him mutter was..."Innocence..."  
"Innocence?" Lero asked.  
The old man put his hand up in the air and a black curtain magically covered the area where they were. the old man looked at them both.  
"Young man" he said as he pointed at Lero." have you shown this to anyone else?"  
"No just me and my brother have seen it"Lero replied.  
" that scar is an amazing power called innocence a power that was given to man by God... Oh where are my manners i am a high magician and through my years my name was forgotten so you may call me the bookman. these are my apprentices Kuran Sho,"he pointed at the tall man" and Raiden Lee." he pionted at the man with the beret." now where was i oh yes..."just before the man could continue he coughed a few times then passed out. the two apprentices ran up to help the bookman while stahn and lero panicked.  
"wait!" the bookman said." I must go recover from a previous injury i will return in 2 years time. i have much to study and much to tell you. until then don't reveal to anyone your scar." the two men placed the bookman in his carriage and in a flash they and all their stuff was gone. Lero and Stahn stood there for a few moments in awe then both looked at each other and yelled..."ELAINA WERE LATE!" they both then ran off towards the direction of Elaina's house. both the brothers went through the fields and over the hills and right through the door while the maid walked out. both the brothers fell down on the floor by the door out of exhaustion.  
"new record time..."Stahn said.  
"5 minutes to make it to a 45 minute house"Lero finished.  
the maid then dunked a bucket of water on the brothers to cool them off and after a short rest the brothers continued to the dinner table. right on time they both thought. they sat down at the dinner table and Lero made sure Stahn got the seat beside Elaina.  
it was very awkward at the table nobody said anything while the old man was there. suddenly Lero got the grande idea, he stood up, walked over to the old man and said..." Sir on my way here today i noticed a group of strange men in the woods by your house maybe we should check it out?"  
This being of course a lie but the old man not knowing it he agreed , told elaina to stay in the house , and the old man and Lero left.  
"What a guy..."Stahn said.  
"What do you mean?"Elaina asked.  
"Huh?" said Stahn not noticing he said that out loud."Noo its umm well... "Stahn sat there for a bit and played with his food moving it with his fork then gulped, stood up and walked to Elaina, and got on one knee.  
"Elaina... I know I'm not the best of men.. and i know I'm not to good at anything, i have found something that i would like to try and protect for once... well the thing is umm Elaina I'm not really rich and i know i should hold a ring but... the thing is i cant afford one. but im hoping you love me anyway.. and..."before he could finish Elaina put her finger against his lips and said to him..."Stahn i do."  
hearing those words his face got a really big smile he looked deep into her eyes as they share then their first real kiss.  
" I know your not rich." Elaina said " and I do not need a ring ,I don't need one for you to prove your love."  
they both stopped and looked behind them to see Lero and the old man standing right there. a smile on Leros face but shock on the face of the old man.  
"I WILL NOT HAVE IT!" the old man yelled so loud the whole town could hear. and soon they did for the very next day the news was spread of Elaina's and Stahn's wedding . many things needed preparing, as Elaina went off to prepare some things, Stahn was away preparing things of his own.  
"He's been gone a long time"Lero said to himself ."maybe i'll go look for him, besides i think he needs this mother..." Lero left to find Stahn as he held with him a small looked in the woods and over the hills then he found Stahn sitting by a water sighed and walked over to his brother.  
"Here you are!" Lero said" what are you doing here go get ready your weddings tomorrow"  
"Lero what am i gonna do?"Stahn asked." I have nothing to offer her at this wedding"  
"i know that" Lero replied" that why i brought your this!"Lero held up the box and gave it to Stahn. Stahn then looked inside the box to see a diamond with a pure gold ring.  
"I cant take this."Stahn said." this was mothers she gave it to you right before she died"  
"It's mine now."Lero said." and I'm giving it to you, I want you to be happy Stahn I don't need it anymore."  
Stahns eyes filled with tears as he took the box closed it and placed it in his pocket.  
"Now lets go get ready your weddings tomorrow"Lero exclaimed.  
both the brothers left and prepared for the wedding day.  
finally that day came , and everything was perfect. the cake was prepared, the guests were all here, and all was well.  
many tears were shed at the wedding and many cheers. and surprisingly no objections were made to their marriage. but that was probably because Lero would have killed anyone who dared object. the wedding was over and it was the happiest day of the brothers and Stahn gave their farewells as the to newlyweds left for their one year anniversary.  
time moved swiftly as the year was almost to a life just continued on normally with the exception of his scar growing more and more harsh , and thoughts of the two year wait for the bookman to return.

the wait for Stahns return was over after the year the brothers finally see each other again. many greetings were given as life was merry Stahn gave his invitation to Lero for a new life at his new estate. with Stahn the new Lord of town he gained the old mans estate and Lero gladly accepted. all leros bags were moved into the house as the three lived their life with joy. new came about 6 months before the bookmans return that Elaina was pregnant. this made the old man furious, the thought of having a great grand-child from the slacker. the old man couldn't take it any longer he must put all this to an end.  
5 months past and the brothers rested in the lounge.  
"I still cant believe it my little brother a father"Lero said to his brother. the two of them laugh as they talked through the night.  
"you know Lero."Stahn said."I never really thanked you properly. because of you i have all this a wife resting with my unborn son, and a life to support them with. yes life is truly good."  
just then a scream came from Elainas room then silence . both brothers panicked as they raced to her room. they opened the door to see the old man and three other villagers.  
the old man was holding a knife covered in blood as Elaina was cut through the stomach as if to make sure the baby died first.  
"its finally over."the old man said" my nightmare ...No I still have you two to deal with.!" the old man rushed at the brothers while the rest of the men ran out the window and away. the old man chased them to the kitchen where he lunged at them both with the knife. knocking lero down. lero hit his head on the counter and fell unconscious. the old man continued to lunge at stahn yelling.."WHY WHY WHY? HOW COULD YOU CHANGE MY DAUGHTER!YOU MUST DIE!"  
the old man lunged at Stahn as Stahn grabbed a knife from the counter dodged the old man and stuck the knife into the old mands chest just missing his heart.  
"noo... how.. could..." the old man said as he took his last breath.  
stahn ran into Elainas room to see it was of no use... she was yelled a cry of agony at the top of his lunges as he ran out the door and into the woods.  
tears filled Stahns eyes as he ran on yelling and screaming he ran... with tears in his eyes he made his way up a mountain to see a wooden boat on the top. he ran to the door beat on it and it let him in. not looking where he was going Stahn ran on until his legs collapsed under him. there he just stayed and cried.  
"Now now what have we here?"the voice of a old man said.  
"Its a young man" another old man said. all Stahn could hear where voices of old men saying..."He must be lost." "Poor man"  
"What a tragedy loosing his wife" just then a old man came from the shadows and laid his hand on Stahns head.  
"There now dry those tears. all is not lost there is a way to get Elaina back." the old man said  
"There is ?" Stahn asked as he wiped the tears from his eyes.  
" Yes but you must do something for us. you must become our new Earl..." the old man replied." only then can we give your wife back to you."  
"I will do anything!"Stahn said  
"that's what i was hoping you would say." the old man placed his hand harder on Stahns head." now dry those tears there is no room for sadness on the ark." just then a light flashed from the old mans hand and Stahn began to change. first came fangs, big enough to show a permanent smile on Stahns face, then his ears began to change becoming pointy like that of an elf, and lastly his weight began to change making Stahn appear to be a fat man. while all this took place Stahn was yelling and screaming from pain and suffering until it was old man then took his hand from Stahns head stepped back and exclaimed..." you will be our new Earl from hence forth stahn no longer exists, from now on you are the millennium earl!"  
"Who are you?" The Earl asked.  
"we are the clan of Noah." the man said as two more old men came from the shadows.  
the Earl stood up to see a city inside the boat. thousands of houses yet no people.  
"where am i?" the Earl asked.  
"this place is called the ark."the old man replied."our base for our thousand year plan, in which you, our earl, will lead...come let me tell you more about as we walk."the old man took the earl by the hand and walked him through the ark.  
"human kind has fallen deeper into the pit of sin, and it is our responsibility to set things right . as did the lord flood the earth to purge it from sin as shall we, but in a different way." the old man took the earl to a large room with many weird man looking metal manikins."these are called akuma." the old man continued to say."with these we can trap the soul of a human inside!" the earl took a step back as he noticed on the forehead of the 3 men were crosses going across the entire forehead.

"uhhhhh..."Lero said as he opened his eyes. he got up from a bed and took a look around to see the bookman and his to apprentices sitting beside him." where am i?"Lero asked.  
"do not worry you are safe now." Raiden said." you gave us quite the scare you were unconscious for days"  
"what happened to my brother, and Elaina!"Lero yelled. the bookman then walked quietly over to lero sat down and began to say..  
" listen son what i am about to say may come as a bit of a suprise."the bookman said."after seeing the scare on your back i had to restudy a few of my records, what that scar is, is a power given to man by god , the only power that can stand up to a group who call themselves ,the clan of noah."  
"noah?"lero asked as he rubbed his head.  
"let me specify"raiden answered."the clan of noah is an ancient group who think that the world has fallen into utter chaos and must be wiped clean and start anew. lately the noah just disappeared ,but because of the sudden appearance of innocence it tells us that the noah are back."  
the bookman nodded and gave away a heavy sigh.  
"in the ancient times innocence and noah have been sworn enemy's and they utterly destroyed themselves. but whenever one noah dies another takes its place so its a never ending cycle. now in my records it says that when the noah return they need a new leader for their last one died from the battle, they chose to try and get the most powerful man they could find and so since innocence was their enemy the next in power was..." the bookmans eyes started to look around the room as if trying to escape this answer.  
"what are you trying to tell me?" lero asked." that my brother has just become the leader of the noah?"  
the bookmans eyes stared at the floor when he replied in a quiet voice."yes"  
trying to find a new topic raiden thought for a second.  
"but you see what we don't understand..."raiden began to say.".. is that in our documents it says that this time the innocence would be distributed to all worthy men but it came inside one man. it gets me thinking maybe this world has fallen into chaos."  
"how do you know all this?"Lero asked.  
"i come from a very anceint race where we would document all things . but that race was forgotten and their documents were lost. just recently i found a few of their magic documounts so we decided to try one of them."the bookman said.  
" it was a weird spell indeed." raiden said." we found a way to change the gender of a person. so it seamed the ancients had a perverted side."  
" there was a fourth man with us when we started, he was a man that was plagued with leprosy, his name was mark hevlaska, he agreed to be our guinea pig on this test. and it work and shockingly when the change was done it totally redid his entire body so that his leprosy was healed."the bookman said."but.. something when wrong after the transformation he began to... change... then his body just melted away..."the bookman looked at lero with saddened eyes he grabbed a cloth and gave it to lero and told him to dry his tears everything should be ok. he then walked outside the tent and motioned lero to follow. they both stood outside and stared at the sunset. then the bookman turned to lero.  
"listen son i know you wont like this. but since you have the innocence you are the only one who can stand up against the noah. therefor i must train you, teach you how to use your innocence."  
just then a scream came from the town as a woman came running out yelling help monster monster! lero and the bookman ran towards the woman.  
"it was horrible." the woman said."my husband was saying his prayers over our dead son like he always did , when this fat man came out of nowhere and offered to revive our son. my husband of course agreed and our... our... our sons souls was placed inside this machine... it then killed my husband and went inside his body. it saw me and i ran..."the woman started to scream and cry. the bookman ordered her to be taken back to their caravan. then turned to lero. who was already running towards the direction of the bookman ran after him and when he caught up he noticed the husband alive and well.  
"lero " the bookman said."don't be fooled that is an akuma."  
"akuma?" lero asked.  
"the soul of one person trapped into a machine then placed into someone else's body. now here is what you must do..."  
"save it."lero said."i don't know how but i already know what to do... its as if the innocence is telling me how to work my power!" lero ran towards the man and grabbed a rock of the floor. suddenly that rock turned into a giant sword with a cross through out the middle. the man jumped back and fired a red bullet at lero, who cut right through the bullet and lunged straight at the akuma. with a flash the akuma shed the skin of the man and tried to run away. but with the words.."cross grave!" lero smashed his sword into the ground and a cross came from the ground and split the akuma in two.  
"this boy is incredible."the bookman said."the first time he has used his power and already he knows what to do."  
lero dropped his sword which turned back into a rock and collapsed onto the floor.  
the bookman had lero carried back to the caravan as they waited for him to awaken.  
leros eyes started to force themselves open as he got up... he looked around again to see every one asleep. lero got up and carefully snuck out of the tent. he then started to walk in the direction of his old wooden house.  
"where are you going?"the bookman asked.  
without even turning around and still walking lero replied..."I'm going to save my brother"  
" you cant do that you don't even know how to fully use your power!. and besides your brother is now the leader of the noah, it will be fated for you two to fight."  
" i may not know how to use my power yet but neither does he. and if we must fight i will find a way to save him."  
" you don't even know where they are."the bookman said with a sigh,.  
" i know but for some reason my innocence inside me can sense the location of my brother."  
the bookman's face turned to a saddened expression he walked over to lero and placed his hand on his shoulder.  
" remember son... your brother may no longer exsist now he calls himself ... the millenium earl, or the thousand year duke as he was called back in ancient times."  
lero nodded at the old man and turned and ran towards his old house. the bookman woundering what he was doing both got to the house ,as lero opend the door he went straight way to an old chest hidden under his bed. he opened it to pull out a long black coat with the symble of a cross on the left shoulder.  
"its a little small."lero said."my mother made this for me and my brother on halloween."  
lero placed his hand on the coat,as the bookman saw it became bigger untill it was about the size for lero slipped on the coat and headed out the door, he stopped to look back at the old man as if to say.."wish me luck." he then left .  
the bookman watch as lero walked into the distance.  
"God if you can hear me."the bookman said."watch over your faithful servant as he follows your will." the bookman then returned to his caravan and fell asleep.  
lero walked through the cold wilderness, not know entirely where he was going. just that his newfound innocence was leading him to where he had to that much time past , as lero found a mountain with a wooden boat at the top. he came to the boats door, stopped and breathed heavilly , then opend the door. he looked inside to see nothing but a empty shell, he closed the door again, and waited a bit. he then placed his hand on the door and focoused hard on his power, his hand started to glow as his body seemed to move on his opened the door again to find a large through the city lero made his way to the biggest tower that he could find. after some time lero got to the tower and walked inside. there he saw a bright hallway and at the end was this fat man who came running up to him.  
"brother brother!" the man yelled."so good of you to come ive been waiting."  
"stahn?"lero asked as he took a step back and examined this new man.  
"stahn is no longer here."the man said."please call me the earl. come come i want you to see somthing!" the earl lead lero throught the tower to a larger room then the hallway he was just in. at the end of the hallway lero saw a woman who he recognised.  
"Elaina?"lero asked as he took a closer look at the girl.  
"its perfect. i made her a new body out of metal then i found her old body and put her in there .is'nt it amasing shes alive!"the earl said as if he was one who was insane."oh ya i almost forgot, you remeber that old unbrella mother made us? the one with the pumpkin on top, i found it i want to show you . please wait here i'll go get it!"the earl then skipped then took a closer look at the woman. he stoped to rubb his eyes then took a step back.  
"Elaina?is that really you?" he asked. a tear came down her face as she cried..  
"please lero help me... its hurts..."  
"what does tell me?!"  
just then one of the noah came from the shadows.  
"her soul... when she died the baby died with her..."the noah said."now the babys soul and her soul are trapped in the same body. the baby can do nothing but cry and kick which makes for never ending pain for the woman."  
lero took another step back as he examined the noah noticing the crosses on his forhead he knew somhow that this man was his enemy.  
"your one of them..."lero said."your one of those cursed noah"  
the noah did nothing but stare at lero. he then laughed and walked away right through the wall. before lero could follow the noah. elaina grabed his coat.  
"please ."she said."help me...please set me free."  
"you poor woman..."Lero said as if the innocence was talking through him."Elaina i dont really want to do this..."lero then found another rock and transformed it into his sword.  
"rest in peace Elaina...!"with a flash his sword pierced through the heart of the akuma woman. as she fell to the floor. the earl came into the room holding a umbrella with the pumkin on its head.  
"How...how...HOW COULD YOU?!"The Earl yelled as he ran towards Elaina's falling body.  
"She was in pain Stahn."Lero said as he looked down at the Earl holding Elaina.  
"She was all I had..." the Earl said."All.. I .. had... and you took her from me! they were right... your no brother of mine!"the Earl grabbed the umbrella off the floor and suddenly it changed into a sword that looked like Lero's.  
"Stahn! Stop I dont want to fight You!" Lero yelled as he clenched his sword harder. the Earl then jumped up and lunged his sword at Lero, who jumped back and avoided his blow.  
"Big mistake!" the Earl yelled as rockes came flying from the ground and struck Lero hard enough to send him flying.  
"I know you have always wanted her!" the Earl said."and now since you could'nt have her you would silence her!"  
"No Stahn she was in pain,I released her from her suffering!" Lero answerd.  
"I dont care she was mine!" the Earl then shot a ball of electricity at Lero who was struck and zapped continueously."She was mine SHE WAS MINE! I dont care if she was in pain!...SHE WAS MINE!"  
Lero then hit his sword against the electricity to free himself, he fell against the ground...Lero got up and wipped the blood off his cheek.  
"All right Earl, or whatever the hell you call youself now...I can see my brothers no longer there."Lero said.  
"I see your getting it." the Earl replied.  
"No...Stahn I know your in there just hang on!"  
Lero ran towards the Earl not really knowing what he was doing, the innocence led him in every way, it told him what to took his sword and slashed at the Earl, who did the same thing.  
"Protect...Protect..."Lero thought."I must Protect him...I want to save him!... Innocence give me the power!"  
Lero's sword then with a giant flash cut through the sword of the Earl. And with a GRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHH let out from Lero the Earl's sword was shattered and himself cut. Lero stood over the unconsious body of his brother. he looked down upon him and let out a small "thank you..." His brother was still alive and with hope the bookman could save him.  
Lero's eyes glanced to the shadows, as a round of appluase came . *CLAP CLAP CLAP*  
"Well done."one of the noah said."to think in such a short time you could develop so much power...But sadly that must end...For we must kill you now."  
"you'r nothing but old men!"Lero said as the noah walked towards him followed by one more noah.  
"you are nothing but a nusiance to us."the noah said.  
Just then the third noah came from behind Lero and touched his neck. all senses left Lero as his body just stood there, he lost all control his body would just not move.  
"our bodys may be old men, but the power of the noah is still in us."the noah said."fasinating isent it..? my body has the abillity to paralyze anything i touch."  
Lero paniced as the noah had a firm grip on him, the other noah walked towards him.  
"You should never have come here."the first noah said."to teach you a lesson, you will die slowly."the noah then stuck his hand into the shoulder of Leros right arm. Lero noticed that his hand just slipped through able to pass without touching anything else of Leros arm.  
"I can choose what it is i want to touch in this world."the noah said as he put his hand deeper into Lero's arm."Ahh here it is..."the noah grabed a part of Lero's shoulder which loosend all parts of his arm. with his arm feeling as if it was gonna fall off the other noah walked up to Lero, grabbed his arm, and with ease, ripped Lero's right arm off.  
Lero fell to the floor as his paralisis left him. grabbing his arm in pain, he yelled at the top of his lungs.  
"That should teach him."the first noah said.  
with the noah getting ready to kill Lero all time seemed to slow down for him...thoughts came through Lero's mind..."Protect I said I would Pro..." the first noah then grabbed Lero's sword and stuck it right through Lero's chest. pulling it out and throwing it on the floor beside Lero's lifless body.  
All things turned still found himself talking to himself in this black emptyness..."What happend?...Did I fail?..."  
"what are you doing?" a voice said to him."did'nt you make a promise to save your brother?"  
"Who are you?"Lero asked.  
"You dont know... thats to bad i've been here with you the whole time."  
"Innocence...?"Lero asked.  
"Get up Lero... you have a job to do!"  
suddenly all senses returned to Lero as he got up from the floor  
"Will finish ...Will protect!...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."Lero yelled with such power that the three noah were pushed back by mere pressure alone.  
having the pain of his lost arm leave him and Moving now like a bolt of lightning Lero grabbed his sword and attacked the noah. with a flash he cut the paralyzing noah in two, yelled "Cross Grave!" one the other noah who fell to the ground, then stabbed the finale noah through the heart. as that noah fell to the ground, Lero stopped... looked around.  
"It's all over."Lero said as he turned to walk back towards his brother.  
"Its not over..."Lero heard. he turned around to see the crosses on the forhead of the noah open up to be a mouth.  
"We noah are immortal."just then a light shown from the crosses on each of the noah's head and left the body's of the old men. they seemed to fly around the room for awhile until they all formed together to be a three-headed dragon, made of pure energy alone.  
The dragon lunged at Lero , blowing fire ,and biting at the same time. not moving fast enough, for the pain of his arm was returning the dragon bit the left leg of Lero. as Lero was moved up into the air, he held his leg together by putting the sword between his leg and the bite.  
"Now ...Now! dont you see it?" the innocence told him again.  
Moving by pure instinct alone, Lero understood what it ment. he then moved his sword away from the bite, to have the dragon rip his left leg right off, doing so threw Lero up in the air and free from the great power Lero came flying down with his sword pointing straight at the dragon, broke through all the defences and peiced the head of the dragon. haveing his sword shatter peices of innocence flew into the dragon and killing it was finally over.  
Lero fell to the ground for all his pain returned to him now. he slowly inched his way away holding the wound from his arm.  
"I did it..."Lero said."now i can save..."  
Leros sentance was left unfinished as the Earl took his sword and stabbed Lero through from the back. a second of guilt and sorrow was in the face of the Earl, but then it all turned to anger.  
Just then a light came from Lero. it was his innocence ,it left the body of Lero to form a new body, one of pure energy.  
"Earl I am not as forgiving as the human!"it said as he shot a beam of energy at the Earl. the Earl flew back through a few walls and passed out. the innocence then with a flash shattered into peices and was gone with Lero no where to be seen.

"Grahhhh!" Lero yelled as he spat out blood. he was now back at the caravan, the innocence somehow teleported him to safety. the bookman and the other two men saw Lero and ran out to help him lero blacked out...  
"uhhhh..."Lero said as he opened his eyes. he looked around to see himself at the bottem of the old black tower.  
"your up."Raiden said.  
Lero dident say anything just weezed in pain.  
"Hey Hey talk to me man."Raiden said."bookman how is he doing?"  
the bookman looked sadly at Lero and Raiden, and looked down and shook his head."Im sorry..."he said.  
"NO!"Lero said." im not done yet... I still have to save him... tell me bookman i must live is there anything you can do for me?!"  
"there is only one possible way..."the bookman replied.  
Raiden then looked at a peice of paper the bookman was holding, to see it was the anciant gender switching magic.  
"No bookman you cant."Raiden said.  
"he should be ok." the bookman said." the innocence is not inside him anymore, but his body should have enough power to survive."  
the bookman then turned to Lero you gave him a nod.  
"Lero..."the bookman said."there is a slight chance for you to loose your memory of all when you were human."  
"i wont loose it."lero said." i will stay strong for my brother."  
the bookman nodded and left to get prepared for the magic change. Raiden was then going to leave but was stopped whan Lero grabed his arm.  
"Raiden..."Lero said."in case I forget I want you to write down everything i tell you, put it in books, and tell other people about this place so that they can finish what i started."  
Raiden nodded sadly, turned away and left.  
the bookman returned to start the magic. he drew many circles on the ground and placed his hand inside the circles. with alot of energy surging around Lero, everything turned white.  
It was like Lero lost everything...  
"it's weird..." Lero thought."I cant hear... i cant see...God... if your there... please hear me...please save him... let somebody save him...i.. dont want.. him to die..."then in a quick flash everything was gone.. all of Lero's memory's of himself were gone.

Lero opened his eyes... look around a room to see the bookman sitting on the floor looking at him. he then looked down to see himself as a woman.  
"who are you...?" she asked.  
the bookman said nothing just turned away and left the he shut the door screams could be heard from the room where Lero was in, as lero's body began to change.  
" you will live..." the bookman said to himself." but your body and memorys are gone... from here forth you will be known as... Hevlaska."

the bookman then left the tower and called on his two helpers to speak with him.  
" Raiden, Kuran, i need both of your help." the bookman said.  
"what is it bookman?" they said at the same time.  
"Raiden you will stay here and start a group that will focouse in destroying the Earl, and Kuran you will continue as the next bookman."  
"what of you bookman?"Raiden asked.  
the bookman pulled back his hair to reveil the crosses of the noah on his forehead.  
"i will continue with the Earl, and when i find someone with good enough power.. i will teach him how to use the ark..." the book man replied.  
"but bookman."Kuran said." destroying the Earl.. is'nt that against everything we promised Lero?"  
"Lero is no longer here... and sadly neither is Stahn... his memory of being Stahn is dissapearing. the only thing that remains is his anger and hatred towards man."  
"what of the innocence?" Kuran asked.  
"as it was written, the innocence was distributed to all."he bookman answered.  
and without letting anything else be said ,the bookman left.

The earl was standing by a window using some kind of magic on the umbrella with the pumkin on the top.  
" what are you doing Earl?" the bookman asked.  
"are you the only noah left?*heart*"the Earl asked.  
"Do not fear Lord Earl... whenever a noah dies, another will take his place."  
the Earl nodded then continued to answer the bookmans first question.  
"I am giving life to this umbrella.*heart*  
"what will you call it?" the bookman asked.  
"I don't know why... but i like the name...Lero.*heart*" the Earl answered.

THE END. or to be continued...


End file.
